March 06, 2008

Sally Lunn served with Mango and Pineapple jam is my contribution to "International Women's day" which is celebrated on March 8th, 2008.Zorra from "kochtopf" has organized an event for us to cook or bake something "Yellow", to celebrate and support the economic, political and social achievements of women. She says color Yellow represents respect and an expression of solidarity with the women in their support for oppressed women worldwide. Isn't that beautiful? I am honored to join hands in my own little way with millions of women around the World in celebrating this great day. Thank you for hosting Zorra!:)

History of Sally Lunn:Sally Lunn is a very popular egg bread which originated in Bath, England, now has it's own Museum called "Sally Lunn's Museum" in Bath. It's a slightly sweet and very flavorful bread which almost looks like a cake. It makes a great breakfast bread sliced,toasted and served with any jam.One of many stories about Sally Lunn bread is "that Sally Lunn, real name of Solange Luyon, was a French pastry cook in Bath, England where she made and sold these buns in the streets for over thirty years" Read here for the full history.

Slice of Sally Lunn with Mango and Pineapple jam!Yellowish color of Sally Lunn comes from the addition of Eggs and lemon extract. Adding Lemon is not a traditional ingredient in Sally Lunn but my own touch, which gives it a great flavor and aroma. Recipe is from "Beard on Bread" by James Beard.

Sally Lunn, fresh out of the oven:

To bake Sally Lunn:

You need: 1 pack of active dry yeast, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/2 cup warm water (100 to 115 degrees F), 1/2 cup lukewarm milk, 1 stick or 1/2 cup butter, melted in the milk, 2 tsp lemon juice or 1/2 tsp Lemon extract, 1 teaspoon salt, 3 eggs, 3 1/2 to 4 cups all purpose flour.To bake it:1. Combine the yeast, sugar and warm water in a mixing bowl, and allow it to foam.2. To the mixing bowl with yeast, add the milk, butter, and salt, and stir well to combine. Add the eggs and incorporate them well with a wooden spoon or in KitchenAid with flat beater, add lemon juice or extract.3. Then add the flour in small amounts and mix well.4. Make a stiff but workable batter, using up to four cups of flour, not more as and if necessary.5. Cover the bowl and let the batter rise until doubled in amount or for about 1 hour in a warm place. I turn on the oven to warm/170F for 2 mins, turn it off and put the bowl covered in the oven to make it rise in cold weather.6. Punch down and place into a well buttered 9 or 10 inch tube pan or Bundt cake pan and again let the batter rise to the very top of the pan for about 40mins in a warm place.7. Bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven 45 to 50 minutes or until the bread is golden on top and sounds hollow when tapped with your knuckles. Turn out on rack to cool or serve toasted warm, with sweet butter or jam of your choice. Store in a gallon size zip-lock bag.

Beer battered Fish and Russet potato Chips is my "Yellow food" contribution for Barbara from "winos and foodies" blog's event "A taste of yellow". I am glad to be able to participate in her LIVESTRONG Day 2008 and to support the cancer survivors, raise awareness about cancer. LIVE STRONG Day 2008 will occur on May 13th this year. My last year's entry to this event was Saffron Vanilla Pudding. Thank you for hosting this event this year too Barbara! :)

Keeping with British food theme, here is that popular Fish and Chips! I cannot recreate these as delicious as the real one you get in UK, but one can try!!:DI fried these Cod fillets with Beer batter, pan fried the chips with Russet potatoes, served with crispy Southern Hush Puppies instead of the mashed Green peas and sprinkled with "London Pub" old English Malt vinegar as they do in England!! We loved this Fish and chips. You can also serve Coleslaw on the side too, as they do in southern US.The carbon Dioxide in the dark colored beer makes the batter light and also gives an yellowish orange color to the fish. In UK, fish and chips are always deep fried in lard which gives them a distinctive taste. I have never used lard at home at all, Canola oil is good for me!:)

Fish and Chips with southern Hush Puppies! (No, not that footwear!;D)We don't usually eat Fish often at home. But we always loved and bought Fish and chips atleast once a week while we were living in UK. We missed the Fish and chips the most after we moved here to US, nothing compares to UK Fish and chips. So I bought few Cod fillets and cooked some for us! Here goes my own Fish and chips.

Fish fry:You need 3-4 Cod fish fillets, about 1/2"thick, wash and pat dry and keep them ready. Frozen Cod is easy to use too since it's already cleaned, filleted and just need to thaw. You can cut them into half, if fillets are too long to fit the deep fryer. For the batter: Mix 2 cups self-rising flour, 1 cup dark colored Beer like Ale, to make a batter, enough to coat the Fish fillets somewhat thickly. Add some water if the batter is too thick. Leave the batter to rest at room temperature for 15 mins. (pinch of Pepper pd and 1/2 tsp Garlic pd are optional additions to the batter, not traditional)(Or Mix 2 cups plain flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking powder and 1 cup water or Beer, optional spices, if you don't want to use the self-rising flour.)To fry:1. Heat oil to deep fry up to 375F either a electric fryer or wide mouthed pan with 1" or 2" oil.2. Coat Cod fillets in batter, shake a little and fry in oil both sides until crisp and golden.3. Drain on paper towel and serve immediately with chips, Malt Vinegar and Hush Puppies or to be authentic, serve with cooked and mashed Green Peas on the side. For Potato chips:US style Potato fries are called Potato chips in UK and always served with Fish, sprinkled with Malt vinegar, along with mashed Green peas. Russet potatoes are the best to use to make chips as they are floury potatoes, easy to cook and they get crispier when sauteed than other potatoes like red waxy potatoes which are best to deep fry.1. Take 2-3 large Russet potatoes, wash and slice into finger like slices about 1/2"thick and 5-6" long. No need to peel the skin unless you want to.2. In a wide non-stick pan, add 2 tbsp oil, spread the potato fingers or chips and let it cook until golden both sides on medium heat, stirring often to get the even color or you can deep fry them in batches too.3. Sprinkle salt, pepper and Malt vinegar on top, serve with crispy fried Fish and Hush puppies.Southern Hush Puppies:I made some Southern style Hush puppies which is my kids' preference instead of mashed Green Peas to serve with Fish and chips.These are little nuggets like our Indian pakoras made of flour, Cornmeal and spices.Hush puppies have few stories behind it's strange name and why they are called so in the south. I have already posted this at Aroma, hope you read it. Recipe for the Hush puppies is here.

As the title says, it's a memoir (no recipes) of a American born Indian Jewish girl with a Bene Israel Indian born (Mumbai) Jewish mom and American Jewish father of eastern European descent, both grew up in Israel, got married but moved to USA and after few years, moved back to Israel to live there for good with their 4 kids, couldn't cope and moved back to US again! Isn't that confusing enough for a child?With her dusky complexion and mixture of all that Khichdi of cultures, she tells her story of struggles and benefits of growing up in US with all those cultural influences on her life.Yes, there is always that old Indian grandma, a woman called "Nana-Bai", author's distant relative who lived with them at her parents house to nag ya and give you a burnt toast smeared with Indian chutney of course!! :DShe writes, Nana Bai NEVER ate pork in her life because she was of strict Jewish faith but she saw her eating a hot dog few days before Nana Bai dies!!Author's one and only book, it makes a pretty interesting read. I have never personally met any Indian Jewish family in my life, so this book was revealing to me and laughed a few times too. I enjoyed reading it!:)

I have one more post to go here next week. Spring break for kids starts on 22nd March, so we will be off to the beach for a while. I will let you know how long I will be gone in my next post. Enjoy your weekend, see you all next week with Bengali goodies, although RCI is not announced yet!:)

When i saw the pic of sally lunn i thought it was a cake, but then i saw the ingridient list...Oh i love fish and chips and brittish have the best.Planning to eat them when we are in London end of this month....I will also be going for a break from March 20th as shyama will be having her break too from school for Easter.

Sally Lunn bread looks wonderful ashakka. i have tasted it. got to make a trip to Bath. i want to see all that Roman ruins.and british fish and chips :) its become a curry country now:) its good to read ur book reviews. i buy lots of books when i am in india and usually finish reading them before returning as i dont even need to lift a grass:) here life is too hectic to finish a book in one go.by the way thanks for pinting out. i did add poppy seeds but some how forgot while writing the recipe. made changes to the post:)

Sia, lucky you get to see the Sally Lunn museum. I have been to Bath but didn't know about this bread then! Enjoy India, read lot of books. Our library don't carry many Indian author's books but very few popular ones. I have to buy most of these at Amazon!:)Glad you got in the poppy seeds there! I was wondering about it!:D

I agree, it looks soo much like a cake, must have been soooo good with tht jam..So many of the events are so thoughtful..Its so nice to see ur contribution to them Asha :)...Fish and chips looks yummy too..

Thank yo Asha, you reminded me of this event. i had already prepared a yellow dish , didn't realized that the last date is just tomorrow. Your yellow dish looks nice, not the right person to comment on non-veg items , yeah hash brown are my all time to go snacks.... :)) .And you made it nice.

Nice to read the reviews of brunt bread and chutney too . I think I will buy one soon , if i get it somewhere .

Hugs to you , will wait for your bengali dish and then Enjoy the vacation without even giving a thought to blogging.

Fish and chips was my dad's fav when we lived in Leeds:-)We're supposed to be verry strict vegetarians but he loved 'em so much he ate some anyway.Sally Lunn- never heard of this before. Your first pic is beautiful, Asha.

Fish & chips look delicious. I am going to make that bread - looks awesome.Thanks for recommending a good book. my mom has a good friend/colleague who is indian jew from mumbai. last name sounds just like maharashtrian last name but first name totally different, & with lots of close family relocated to Israel now, but all born and raised in Mumbai. very lovely aunty. she decided to stay back in india. your book review reminded me of her.

Wow Asha, Fish and chips are my husband's all time favourite! He too became a fan of them in the UK!I have never made them at home, I must give him a surprise one day, I think! Thanks for the recipe.The bread looks so yummy...just like a cake!

Many events and many dishes, mm, am confused.. :DYeah, it looks like a beautiful cake.(My first cake was like a bread..:D )But I like breads.. :)Does cod have any smell ? Wouldn't eat them, have fried once for kids..

Asha, every post of yours ensures I learn something new. This is the first time I am hearing about Sally Lunn. Thanks for the information...that bread looks yum. How many times I tell you, wish you were my neighbour, I would've enjoyed feasting on your table!..Fish and Chips with southern Hush Puppies!(hhahah)..even though you said otherwise I expected to see something of that sort in food...:D...that plate looks yum...esp those chips...

thats a great review of the book...thats really confusing to read..but looks like it had some humor...that should make anything fine...

take care and enjoy your kids hols!..will be waiting for your return and more posts..

Yes, this bread is so divine and smiliar to cake! I was planning to London for this easter but last minute cancel, so will feast your fish and chips through the holiday :)Asha, I am going to repost my post featuring your Lahori Choley (which is wrapped inside an eggplant "purse"), and submit it to Pooja's VoW. Hope it is ok with you.

Ashakka, your posts usually carry exotic dishes, Indian ones too have fancy names! Loved reading sally lunn n her bread, looks great in bundt pan as well as a piece! The word 'Khichdi of cultures' has me in splits! Wish you a very happy Women's Day, you surely lead in the dept of achievements (social or otherwise!)Wish to be as super-girlish as you someday!!

really!!i havent tried microwave one..N mine is a electric burner. so it bcums a bit difficult to roast on that.skin sticks to the burner if keep the eggplant on it.. so i tried this method.will try microwave bharta 2mr :D

asha I'm baby sitting Ben as he's nbot well while Beccy is shopping so I've sneaked onto the computer. This is a great post especially as 'sally lunn' and Bath are close to home for me. The F&C look great although it has to be said that curry is supposed to be overtaking as our nations favourite dish! However as you know it's still a favourite in our family!

Anjali, make sure you pierce the Eggplants few times before you put it in the MW, otherwise it will burst in there. I also have electric stove but I use a small round cookie cooler rack on top and grill the eggplants too, try it. Rack is available in store's baking section.

Oh Chris, DO NOT let the curry take over the F&C please. They are as British as they come!Hope F&C lasts forever! Wish a speedy recovery for Ben, poor boy. Flu and cold is really nasty this year. Take care and enjoy the weekend as much as you can there!:))

Hi Asha, I m a great fan of your recipes - a new entrant to the bloggers' fun world . The idea to celebrate Int. Women's Day with a yellow recipe struck a cord with me and I just started off !Great recipes, great site lay out - great read !

Ashakka, Sally Lunn looks lovely! Love the touch of lemon! You always come up with such marvellous creations! Love the hush-puppies, Ashakka, to serve them with fish and chips, that's very Southern of you :).

Have a great, great weekend.

PS: Did i say that i am so glad that you are enjoying your reading. Keep it up, dear!

Not to mention my amazement at the dishes you make...you know what I really wonder is where do you get sooooo many books from? the ones from the Indian authors... The books you mention are soo interesting and I always list them out to read whenever I can!! ( God knows when that is.. :o))

Musie and Archy, thanks girls, enjoy. I do my best to bring something new.Glad you like them!:))

Raki, I buy most books by Indian authors from Amazon and most books I list here are linked to Amazon where and if they are available. Click on the link, you can see the price etc. I borrow non-Indian books mostly from the library, some I buy if I really like them to keep for my collection. Enjoy!:)

my only complain is the fish is not at all spicy - as i generally associate with fish fry;

But my SIL was insisting on trying this fish 'n chips place near her house; To appease us, earlier in the morning she takes a spicy masala to the shop and asks them to marinate the fish in it; Later when we showed up for lunch they fried those marinated white fish and served us! WoW! The bestest fish 'n chips!

Hi Asha Thank you for joining Livestrong With A Taste Of Yellow. I love fish and chips but only allow myself to eat them about twice a year. I had them last week and they were fabulous. I've never heard of hush puppies apart from shoes. Yours sound much nicer;)

LOL! Arun, that's true, it's pretty bland unless you smother it with pepper! Spicy Hush puppies on the side will be good though. Thanks, we will enjoy but without that SPF stuff. We brown people don't Sun bathe but have fun walking on the beach after 4pm! Hahaha! Good to see you after a long time,, have a fun weekend!:)

You are welcome Barbara, glad I could participate this year too!:))Hush puppies and coleslaw are the side dishes they serve in the southern US with fish and chips. Tastes great. Hope you try them next time. Wish I could eat the real UK F&C, yum!!:)

AshaAh Sally Lunn haven't had one in years I must try it thank you for bringing it to our notice.Sally Lunn in the shops in NZ have icing on top sprinked with coconut.Yum.Fish and Chips - of course we of British Stock still consider them the best takeaway. I have eaten them in UK but they are really much nicer down here. You will have to try them when one day you venture to this part of the world.Great Posts Asha really enjoyed them Thank you

Gilly,coconut icing sounds yum, will try next time. I heard that curry is taking over F&C in UK, hope not!! I will be very sad. Yes, one day I will visit NZ just to eat that delicious F&C and then will say hi to you! :DHappy intl women's day to you, enjoy!:)

AshaI wanted to let you know that your blog and your writings have really inspired me in a new way..I have surprisingly posted some food recipes (as a guest) and to some lovely events happening around and also for the International Womens Day event which I learnt from your blog. I am really excited and happy about it...Thanks for being there!!! Do take a peek :)

Sally Lunn in the second picture looks out of this world - really gorgeous. Thanks for the book recco - sounds like an interesting book. If you's like to read about the Jewish diaspora in India, I'd recommend "Jews of India" by Nathan Katz - a very interesting and informative book.

I will be very happy if you can post a new variety but if are hard pressed for time, then do create a new post with your old one and link to this Dosa mela!...thanks for the interest and support Asha..you are a gem!:D

Hi Anjali, weekend was busy. Cleaned the house and gave 2 old TVs , few music systems etc to Good will. We have collected lot of junk over the yrs!:DGood that you did. Next time you post a new one, go to Taste of India and see it shows up after half an hour or so. If you don't see your post, leave the url again there. Did you see my new Aroma post there today? I published it in the morning, that's how it shows up!:)

here is wat i did..i clicked on the link "Taste of india", then i saw many recipes dated 10th march including urs. i click on "taste of india" below PAGES...pls tell me munde enu maadbeku :D..yest i did somethg and i thot i already suscribed to it, but i didnt.i dont think i have sent my url to taste of india.. i have no idea..

also, in google reader, i can see only mine n sailu's recipes, is it bcos i have not invited any1?

Anjali, I left a comment on your latest post about the G reader, read it and yes, you have to add the URL of blogs you would to visit. When they post new ones, it pops up, so you can go visit them and leave a comment!:)

Revathi, still got time for the LIVESTRONG entry, Zorra's IWD event is over!:)

Gosh the sally Lunn bread looks gorgeous; I like your addition of lemon to offset the sulfuric flavour of eggs BTW- that could very well catch on! Fish 'n' chips look great! Actually in my area this is extremely popular on Friday nights (made with perch, cod, or haddock): lots of Catholics, and many of us have English blood running through our veins. Beer-batter is a must indeed, and your chips would make many restaurant-owners green with envy.

Mandira, LOVED the mystery pd and the Halwa, will let you know when it's up!:))

Sig, isn't that book so funny, very well written and entertaining. Enjoy!:)(Psst..aren't you glad I am cooking with Fish now?;D)

Pel, thank you so much, I am really flattered!:)wish we had a chippie in here too, I miss it so much! Yeah, lemon in Sally Lunn makes it smells so good, great to have a toast in the morning, perks you up!

Long time :-). Anyway wanted to leave a note for you about Red Carpet-Bangalore stories. Just like you, the expletives peppered throughout the book bothered me a lot!

And trust me, being from Bangalore all my life, perhaps the stories and people depicted in the book belong to an alternate world within the city that I havent interacted/mingled much with- but I too definitely found it disturbing. It might be factual, but the Bangalore I know and love is all that and so much more.

Anyway, enjoy spring break and do let us know how it went, what you read, what you watched and oh definitely what you cooked :-)

Hi A, glad you think like me too, thought I was the freaky one!:DI think you are right, it depends on your "clique" and whom you run around with. It shocked me a little too, drugs, cigar smoking,promiscuity!Hope it's just a minority group. I also hate what they think of all NRA's, as if we come here to have "fun"! If only they know how hard we work here to achieve we have, right?:) Yes, I will have a good break,I have already started cleaning the house,get rid of junk. We might also get a brand new kitchen this Summer too, hopefully!:))

hi Asha akka...how are u..its been long time....u do remember me, dont u?...came bak from vacation and was kind of busy with job and stuff....so, my blog is just kind of dear..hummm!!!,,trust me, i really respect ur dedication to the blogsphere, dear..!!!each preparation is one of its kind!!, me running 6 months now...but do have vomitting, wiht less frequency but..just once in 3-4 days...keep in touch, tc...i mught not be blogging or commenting, but believe me, will definitely be popping in once in a while...

Sona, so good to see you again, of course I remember you!:))Glad you pregnancy is going well or better than before. Take it easy and yes, say hello only when you can. Glad you enjoyed your stay in India! Take care, hugs and enjoy the pregnancy!:))

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